“Much as I feel for our NY colleagues, gaze south and see where it can all end up as we demonize the profession further. FL is an “annual contract” state.

“Every year I receive a “reminder” that I am an annual contract employee and will be “considered” for renewal of that contract by the district. The union is run by old contract “Continuing Contract” teachers pending traditional retirement and promotion, but the only ones free to speak under any hope of retaining employment. State law dictates that we cannot be provided anything but an annual contract. The district can then terminate, my word, without cause by merely not renewing. No reason is required for not renewing.

“Teaching is becoming a haven for those too foolish to seek employment elsewhere, dedicated, or those incapable of employment elsewhere, inept. It’s a terrifying mix.

Eight-year-old Charlie has an infectious smile. He loves swimming, hiking, and skiing. And he’s smart, too. By the age of 2, he knew every letter, color, shape, and number. “He loved books and wanted us to read to him for hours,” his mom Tricia said.

A year later, Charlie was diagnosed with regressive autism. He struggled with motor skills and motor planning, and a school psychology test—a largely motor-based evaluation—labeled Charlie with an intellectual disability.

We have a bias in making collective assumptions about people. Whether it’s disability, age, or simply lack of experience, we rely on the tests and evaluations simply because that’s the process. We allow these tests to make decisions for us without considering the individual as a person. These decisions often affect how they do later in life. For example, from academic requirements to industry experience, companies put limits on people who could excel in jobs…